The Past Returns
by Hewylewis
Summary: A man from Ohio comes to New York with his kids and brother in law to look for his long lost wife, but little do they know that she is now a Mutate. Co written by Karin Skywalker. Chapter 2 is up. Please Read and review.


On a nice summer day, at an airport just outside Manhattan, a plane landed. Two adult men got off, along with two young boys. One of the men looked around, worried.

"Okay, let's hope she's here," Kirk, the younger man, said.

"Oh, God above, let her be here!" Norman piped in.

"I know the feeling. I got the kids," Kirk assured him.

"Okay. Then let's go get our luggage," Norman said, trying to keep control.

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After they got their luggage, the foursome went immediately to the police station, via a rented car. Norman, sitting at the wheel, pulled up in front of the station. Then he turned around and looked at his two sons. "Okay boys, we're going to go inside and see if they know where Mommy is. While dad and Uncle Kirk talk to the nice cops, you two will sit in the seats by the wall, okay?" he said.

"Okay, dad," said Gregory, the older of the boys.

They walked inside, and the boys sat down in comfortable seats by the door, and began to chat. "Remember, don't talk to strangers, okay?" Kirk asked.

"Okay, Uncle Kirk."

Norman smiled at his boys, then walked up to the service woman. She appeared to be mid-twenties, wore a secretarial outfit, had brown hair worn in a bun, and green eyes. She looked up at them as they approached. Her name tag said "Marie Constantine".

"Umm... ma'am?" Norman asked.

"Yes, sir? Can I help you?" Marie asked kindly, looking from one man to the other.

"Yes, actually. We're looking for someone and we wish to speak to your chief."

"One moment." After a final glance at the handsome, dark-haired man, she quickly rushed off.

After about five minutes of waiting, Marie returned with a tall man in uniform. "I am Chief Kwan, and Marie tells me you're looking for someone," said the man.

"That's correct," Norman said. "Umm. . . Marie, could you keep an eye on my boys for a few minutes?"

"Of course," Marie said, glad to help.

"Marie loves kids, you know," Kwan said, smiling. Then, he became more serious. "Shall we talk in my office?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Kirk said.

Kwan walked them around to his office. He closed the door after Kirk entered, then turned to the two men, all business. "Please, have a seat," Kwan said, gesturing to two comfortable seats before his desk.

"Thank you," Kirk said.

The two men sit in the indicated seats, while Kwan sits in his seat across from them. "So, gentlemen, may I have the pleasure to know your names before we begin?" Kwan asked.

"My name is Kirk Thatcher," said the blond haired man (think Joey from Full House). He indicated his companion, who had black hair ending in a goatee. "This is my brother-in-law, Norman Reed."

"Nice to meet you guys," Kwan commented. "My name is Antonio Kwan. Now that these pleasantries are out of the way, may I inquire as to who you gentlemen are looking for?"

"We're looking for my sister and his wife, Margaret Thatcher Reed," Kirk said in a sad tone.

"I see. Let me have a look in our files here and see if I can find someone with the name Margaret Reed," Kwan said kindly. He stood and grabbed a few boxes full of files. He flipped through them with an expert's eye.

"Thank you for helping," Norman said, a little hope in his voice.

"It's no problem. We get this kind of thing a lot," Kwan assured him as he continued to flip through the files.

Kirk coughed.

"Do you need a cough drop, Kirk?" Kwan asked, still focused upon the files.

"That would be much appreciated," Kirk said.

Still with a hand and eye going through the first box, Kwan lowered a hand, opened a drawer, and handed a cough drop over to Kirk, who took it gratefully. An hour and several hundred files later, Kwan put the file boxes away. His elderly face looked grim.

"Well? Did you find her?" Kirk asked encouragingly, dreading the answer.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I didn't find anything on a Margaret Thatcher Reed," Kwan said, sounding sincerely sorry. "But the name DOES ring a bell."

Kirk put a hand on Norman, who shed a tear.

"I'm so sorry, I wish I could've been of more help."

"Let me explain. We're from Ohio. Cleveland to be exact,"

"We were having financial trouble because our mortgage increased," Kirk piped in.

"Yeah. My wife, Margaret, volunteered to look for a job here in Manhattan. That way, we could move here and have a better life. She said she'd call us every day until she found a job," Norman finished.

"I see. Well, have you heard from her as of late?" Kwan asked.

"That's the thing." continued Kirk. "We haven't heard from her since she left for Manhattan three months ago. So we decided to come here with her kids to look for her."

"I have a picture that was taken on our wedding day ten years ago. You think that will help?" Norman asked.

"It might. Can I see it?" Kwan asked, holding out his hand.

"Of course," Norman said, hope rising.

He took out the picture, and gave it to Kwan, who takes it. After a moment or two, Kwan's mouth drops in surprise.

"What? What is it?" Norman asked, worried.

"I've seen her before. I saw her at the Xanatos compound. I don't know what happened to her, though," Kwan said, giving a shudder.

In a sudden fury, Norman grabbed Kwan's collar and shook him. "Where is she, Kwan? Tell me now!" Norman growls threateningly.

Kwan held his hands up in a notion of surrender. "Like I said, I saw her at the Xanatos Enterprises building. That was three months ago. I was passing by on my way to the store, and we chatted for a few moments. I'll write down the directions, if you'll be so kind as to let me go."

Norman let him go, shaking slightly. "I'm so sorry. Could you post this picture in the paper?"

"Of course I will. It's okay. You've been under stress, and I imagine beside yourself with worry. Let me write down those directions for you." Kwan slipped out a piece of paper and a pen and began to write. A few moments later, he handed the paper to Norman.  
"These are the directions to the Xanatos building from here."

"Thanks," Norman said, obviously grateful and hopeful as to finding his wife.

"If there's anything else I can do, just let me know. I'll do whatever it takes to help find that sweet woman."

"Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome," Kwan said, standing up. "Let me show you gentlemen out." At the door, Kwan gave the two boys a lollipop, which they took smiling broadly. "You be good now, and listen to your father and uncle, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Billy said shyly.

"Of course," Gregory said, saluting.

The men and boys left, and pulled out in the rented car.

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They eventually arrived at the mansion. Kirk and Norman got out, leaving the boys in the car, doors locked and windows up.

Kirk looked at the large skyscraper-sized building and whistles. "This place is huge! You think she got the job?" Kirk asked his brother in law.

"If she did, then why hasn't she called us and told us?" Norman asked, doubt in his voice.

"Maybe she forgot about calling us because she's been too busy," Kirk offered.

"I doubt it. She's never been too busy for family," Norman stated.

They walked inside the building, and began to walk to the elevators when a man in a business outfit and glasses stopped them.

"What are you doing here? This is a private building," Owen said.

"Excuse me, sir; we're looking for my wife. Have you seen her?" Norman asked, pulling out a copy of the picture. "She came here about three months ago."

Owen took the picture and observes it closely. "Well, she came here three months ago, as you stated. Mr. Xanatos brought her here," Owen informed them.

"What? Listen, where is she now? Was she fired or something?" Norman asked.

"She wasn't here for a job. She was brought here for some…experiments he wished to try on her. She disappeared a few days afterwards," Owen said.

"What kind of experiments?" Norman asked, getting irritated.

Unknown to them, Xanatos had walked up behind them. At this point, he spoke up. "Cosmetics. I had some new products I'd wished to try and she agreed," David said.

"That's great! Cosmetic testers get paid lots of dough!" Kirk said, smiling.

"Where is she now?" Norman asked.

"I'm not sure. She left a few days later, as Owen said. She didn't say where she was going. I haven't been able to find her since then."

"You don't think she's on the streets, do you, Mr. Xanatos, I presume?" Norman asked.

"Yes you do, and I'm not sure where she's at. She just might be on the streets," David confessed.

"Oohhh…she might be dead! She can't handle things in this kind of city!" Norman exclaimed.

"Norm, don't say that!" Kirk scolded.

"You know, I heard that a woman is hiding in the western part of the city, near the city limits. It just might be your Maggie," David said.

"Thanks, Mr. Xanatos," Kirk said, turning to leave.

"No problem. Glad I could help," David said.

Kirk and Norman left, confused slightly. To their surprise, Billy was standing just outside the building, looking scared.

"Where's mommy, dad? I want mommy!" Billy exclaimed, clearly scared.

"I don't know, son, but we'll find her soon. I promise," Norman assured him, pulling the toddler into a hug.

"Come on, let's go get some dinner and find a hotel," Kirk said.

"Come on, son, everything will be okay," Norman said, standing up and offering his hand.  
Billy took his hand, and they walked to the car. Unnoticed by Billy, his teddy bear slipped through his fingers and landed on the sidewalk. After they'd gotten into the car and pulled away, a mysterious figure in a hooded cloak stepped out, picked up the doll, and began to cry sadly.

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Later, at the hotel, young Billy noticed his doll was missing and was looking for it. "Daddy! I lost him!" Billy said tearfully.

"Lost who, son?" Norman asked, tired.

"I lost Teddy! I want my Teddy, daddy!" Billy said, on the verge of tears.

"We'll look for him in the morning, okay Billy?" Kirk said, kneeling to the toddler's eye level.

"Promise?" Billy asked, lower lip sticking out and trembling.

"I promise," Kirk said.

"If he doesn't try to find Teddy tomorrow for you, I'll make Uncle Kirk watch Sesame Street with you, okay?" Norman added, trying to cheer his youngest up.

Billy laughed at the look of disgust and surprise that Kirk put on. "Okay," he said.

"Hey, look Uncle Kirk! Loony Toons are on!" Greg called.

"Oh goody," Kirk said, voice filled with sarcasm.

Billy ran into the living room chanting "Bugs Bunny! Bugs Bunny!" over and over, and Norman laughed.

"What's so funny, Norm?" Kirk asked.

"You, that's what. You know, you really have a way with kids," Norm said.

"Yeah, I guess I do," Kirk said.

"Uncle Kirk! Are you coming?" Greg called.

"Yeah. I'm coming, Greg," Kirk replied.

"You'd better go, before they drag you in there with them," Norm warned him.

Kirk took the cue and went into the living room and watched an hour or two of Bugs Bunny tricking Elmer Fudd, Pepé the lovesick skunk chasing the skunk-painted female kitty and Wiley E Coyote chasing Roadrunner.

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Later that night, everyone was asleep. That is, it seemed lay there awake, wondering where his mom was. "Greg?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, Billy?" Greg replied. His vision was blurry without his glasses, but he knew Billy was wide awake.

"You think we'll find mommy?"

"I hope we do. Dad's never been so sad before."

"I miss her, Greg."

"I do, too, Billy. Maybe we'll find her in the morning."

"You really think so?"

"Who knows? I hope we do."

The two boys lay there, pondering, and eventually drifted off to sleep.

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The mutate, Maggie the cat, had been sitting on the roof just above their open balcony and waiting for this moment. She jumped down onto the balcony and landed gently. She had Billy's teddy bear in her hands. Maggie snuck in, and gently put the teddy under Billy's arm, which he instantly snuggled close to him. Maggie silently began to cry, and a tear landed on Billy's cheek, causing him to turn in his sleep. She then walked out onto the balcony, spread her wings, and flew away.

Just then, Billy woke up and saw that his teddy bear was back in his arms. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of someone jumping off the balcony. Quickly, he got out of bed and ran towards the balcony, seeing what looked like a woman with a cat's head and tail, along with the wings of a bat. At first he was afraid, but then he looked at his teddy bear which he clung in his arms. He then turned back to the night sky and quietly said, "Thank you."


End file.
